WHO Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Situation Report 77

One new country/territory/area reported cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours: South Sudan.

At a joint press conference and in a co-authored opinion piece, the WHO Director-General and IMF Managing Director reiterated the importance of saving lives and saving livelihoods and made it clear that the trade-off between saving lives or jobs is a false dilemma. The press conference remarks are here, and the op-ed here.

Almost 90 percent of the world’s students are now affected by nationwide school closures –that’s more than 1.5 billion children and young people. Together with UNICEF and the International Publishers Association, the World Health Organization has launched the ‘Read the World’ children’s reading initiative. More information on this initiative can be found here. WHO has also published advice for parenting during the COVID-19 pandemic, available here.

Recommendations and Advice for the Public

If you are not in an area where COVID-19 is spreading or have not traveled from an area where COVID-19 is spreading or have not been in contact with an infected patient, your risk of infection is low. It is understandable that you may feel anxious about the outbreak. Get the facts from reliable sources to help you accurately determine your risks so that you can take reasonable precautions (see Frequently Asked Questions). Seek guidance from WHO, your healthcare provider, your national public health authority or your employer for accurate information on COVID-19 and whether COVID-19 is circulating where you live. It is important to be informed of the situation and take appropriate measures to protect yourself and your family (see Protection measures for everyone).

If you are in an area where there are cases of COVID-19 you need to take the risk of infection seriously. Follow the advice of WHO and guidance issued by national and local health authorities. For most people, COVID-19 infection will cause mild illness however, it can make some people very ill and, in some people, it can be fatal. Older people, and those with pre-existing medical conditions (such as cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease or diabetes) are at risk for severe disease (See Protection measures for persons who are in or have recently visited (past 14 days) areas where COVID-19 is spreading).